Starstruck in Culpeper

It's not every day you get to meet a former president of the United States. So when the opportunity arose Monday, I dropped what I was doing and bolted for East Davis Street.
Whether or not you agree with his politics, you can't argue that Bill Clinton is a personable, charming guy. Well, anyone who has met him can't argue that.

I've never been the lucky girl who meets celebrities on a weekly basis and scores front-row tickets to Ricky Martin concerts. No, I'm usually the one who shows up five minutes after said celebrity has left and has to hear about how amazing it was.
But Monday was my lucky day, apparently. After returning from a Starbucks run, I got a call at work from Jeffrey Mitchell at The Frenchman's Corner with an interesting piece of information.

"I got a news tip for ya," he said.

"Oh really-" I asked. "What's that-"

"Bill Clinton just stepped out of his limo on East Davis Street in front of the (other) Frenchman's Corner."

I may have hurt his eardrums with my enthusiasm, but I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Bill Clinton- In Culpeper-

"OK, I'm on my way," I managed to say after I calmed down.

My editor's curiosity was piqued until I told him the news, after which he informed me another reporter was already downtown covering the excitement. But that didn't matter - I was going anyway. I grabbed my coat and reached for my camera, but it was still at my apartment after a weekend trip to Richmond.

"Crap," I thought. "I'm going to miss him. Just my luck."

I swung by my building on the way into town and ran into the newest resident of what I like to call Melrose Place. I'd only met him the day before, but I insisted he come check out Bubba downtown.

Out of breath but with camera in hand, I approached The Frenchman's Corner, which was teeming with eager Culpeper residents and humorless, stone-faced Secret Service agents - I hadn't missed him. We snuck inside, careful not to disturb an ongoing interview and patiently awaited our turn to shake Slick Willy's hand.

"I can't believe that's Bill Clinton standing right there," my friend said. It was official: we were star struck.

But wouldn't you be if the former leader of the free world looked you square in the eye and shook your hand- Called you by name and posed for a picture with you- Made you feel like you were the only person in the room- And no, he didn't try to make a pass at me, which is what everyone - including my grandmother - has been asking.

Like I said, you don't have to agree with his politics to become giddy about meeting one of the world's most well-known faces. The only other celebrity I've been in the same room with was football legend Terry Bradshaw, who was apparently in the mood for a movie in Charlotte a few years ago.

Needless to say, I was a bit frazzled and even more terrified I would call President Clinton the wrong name, or something equally mortifying. But he was so calm, so approachable, that I felt at ease. My hands, however, were relentlessly unsteady as I attempted to shoot a few pictures. Lucky for me, I work for a newspaper and have a professional photographer on hand when I run into United States presidents.

It wasn't just me, though; the whole town seemed to be pulsing with excitement over Clinton's unannounced visit. There was even a 20-something girl crying out on the street. Crying! That was a little much.

After about an hour of shaking hands and greeting the bystanders, the former president left, leaving a town full of star struck residents in his wake. I can't say if his appearance helped his wife in Tuesday's elections, but he definitely left us buzzing about the day we met Bill Clinton.

Catherine Amos thinks that despite everything, Bill Clinton is still a fox at 61. She can be reached at 825-0771 ext. 138 or .